Piece of Humanity
by Krystolnite
Summary: (The prequel to Piece of Normal) "It was an amorous sentiment he didn't know he needed, let alone deserved - especially from her. A new lifeline felt like it was given to him after he felt like quitting, and she was the entrance to using it; a do-over" A one-shot story.


_Dedicated to__: The fandom. We're a pretty good bunch. Enjoy the prequel to PIECE OF NORMAL_

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The banshee wanted to go home.

It wasn't like this before. Raccoon City was known for being on the fast-track for being the most technologically advanced and innovative place to live in, filled with brilliance and optimism. Japan enjoyed sending their best Automotive pioneers to start a business, Russia gladly invested their money in astronomical advances, and China recently had partnered with the ever successful pharmaceutical company to create vaccines; Umbrella Corp.

Last she remembered, this city had it all; booming businesses and law abiding citizens. Yet here she was, having her moment of mental breakdown in the STARS department hiding from God-knows-what just for a moment. After noticing Chris' twin jacket hung near his desk, she could not help but embrace it, out of fear and comfort. Her brother was gone and feeling truly alone in a familiar place that was now a foreign hell confirmed that she'll probably never see him again. 

_She wouldn't make it passed dawn_, Claire thought. 

Raccoon City's police station that was once a museum filled with history now had a new makeover. Artifacts were broken junk, walls were now drenched with human red, and pieces of the organic undead were now the pin-ups of the building; in fact the whole city. She remembered first strutting in here in as a teenager during spring break, when Chris was the star rookie in the new city. Her brother was one of the finest men in the academy. Graduated in the top 25 of his academy, was considered one of the most athletic students in uniforms RPD ever recruited, and as a bonus he was a man with a heart of gold; everyone knew it. Claire couldn't have been prouder to walk through those doors and suddenly become infamous herself as the next Redfield to keep an eye on and recruit. If Chris Redfield was literally a star law enforcer, it was natural to assume that his younger sister was star quality as well. No pun intended.

However, that quality and self esteem dissipated in seconds when she found herself dumbfounded after observing her heroic brother hasn't been in the city for awhile.

"You're in trouble…I know you are." Claire scolded herself and clutched Chris' jacket close to her. It was difficult for her to determine what the next move was; to stay and find clues to his whereabouts or to find how out how to get out of the city and start from scratch yet again. There was no way in hell that man was on a vacation and her gut felt it.

The solemn vibe in the air was interrupted when a thudded noise grew closer. Claire felt the whole floor shake as the heavy footsteps to the STARS office. The pace mirrored her heart beat as she hid against the wall, armed and ready for the surprises. Sure she was tearing up, and sure she wanted this to be a temporary nightmare, but no matter how hard she prayed to whatever Gods were available, that 8-foot man in a fireproof trench coat and dinky fedora was real.

She bit her lip to prevent a sound from coming out and let the sweat run down on the sides of her face as the thuds grew more intense and close. The entrance door slowly opened and a barbaric hiss from outside filled the hall.

"I need help, please…" She whispered out of desperation ready to pull off the suicidal decision, noticing the added obstacle of those blind wall crawling monsters were also outside the door. Not wanting to waste anymore bullets or creating noise Claire pulled out her knife and blindly charged at her unwelcome guest.

She was immediately whipped and sandwiched against the door, dropping the knife. Her mouth was smear covered by a hand. Claire looked up and the adrenaline pumped her heart rate.

"God… its so great to see you."

There was a lopsided smile as Leon whispered quietly in her ear and held her mouth. To quote him, it relieved her to see a familiar face among the chaos. Leon –_hot cop_\- Kennedy was in the flesh and a sight for her sore eyes. They blankly stared at each other, not moving from the position, waiting out the heavy footsteps and the other crawlers to pass by. Both stood so close they could even hear each other breathing and see the tiredness from their eyes. There was nothing to do at the moment but study each other until the fear was over. Debris from the ceiling was snow-flaking down at each footstep the tyrant made. Each claw that clung to the wall indicated those monsters were definitely searching for fresh blood. It was probably six inches of old museum walls that kept them separated from what was out there, and the two knew it. If this was their demise, at least they were together.

Claire noticed him lightly shaking from adrenaline and grabbed Leon's free hand once they realized that monster was right outside the door. Everything was happening so fast as the moment of anxiety and trepidation took over their bodies. He shot her an intense look and held onto her hand tighter. The nightmare was too overwhelming as both couldn't help but hold their breaths and shut their naïve eyes from the instant death that may come.

Luck was on their side as the tyrant started to head out to the other side of the building. Doors creaked open and the heavy steps faded out. The hissing followed behind and soon it was just them two finally letting their guard down. Leon took a deep breath and scratched his head before taking a good look at a fellow human.

"So, how've you been?" Leon cleared his throat and the awkwardness, enjoying the moment with the first person he's met in Raccoon City that didn't try to kill him. He broke the tension and picked up her knife to hand back to her.

"Oh ya know, surviving." She joked along and picked up her brother's jacket sadly. She slowly walked towards Chris' desk and sat down in his chair. Noticing how everything was messy, loose papers crumpled and the 6x4 picture of him and her that he framed was cracked. He noticed the bright eyed beauty losing her spark and hope after realizing the STARS department was raided and abandoned.

"I'm sorry you weren't able to find him here."

"That's the thing. He hasn't been here for a couple of days. Apparently he's on vacation; which does not sound like him at all." Claire shook her head and gently removed the picture from the frame hoping to salvage it.

"This is you two right?" Leon tilted his head towards the picture once it was in plain sight. He lightened up at how adorable she looked in the photo with her brother. Anyone could tell that the Redfield duo was close and they only had each other. His eyes trailed to the siblings surroundings and found himself drawn to the girl in the picture.

Red hair just passed her shoulders in a low cut sleeveless Beatles shirt and jean shorts that most likely showcased her round backside Yet, there was a red plaid shirt messily tied around her hourglass waist. If Leon knew that this woman was walking by him with what she was going on, he would not have hesitated to stop and catch her name; it had made him unknowingly red.

"This was right before I started college. Chris took me to my first music festival with a fake ID. It was the only time he broke the rules of being a cop by letting a minor drink….and smoke my first pot." She chuckled and noticed his lingering eyes. "What? Are you gonna turn me in, rookie?"

Leon raised a brow as he was more amused with her wittiness. "I don't mind turning a blind eye to the confession; especially to a hot girl."

"…What?"

"What?" He cleared his throat realizing his slip and immediately changed the subject "We should keep searching the place, any indication where Chris may-"

"Oh my god…you're attracted to me. In a place like this with guts, bullets, and other crap… you find me attractive." She couldn't stifle the laughter and tried to look at him in the eye. He kept brushing her away, feeling more irritated and embarrassed than usual. "What kind of shit are you into?" She giggled and tried to keep it quiet.

"Get over yourself." He turned away trying to squash her taunts, hoping the sing-song voice in her would die down. Never has he ever met a girl who shot his pride at a pick up line; even though it was an accident.

It was indescribable; Claire Redfield is probably the only woman to laugh at his compliment. Leon questioned himself since it was new. Yesterday while partying it up with his fellow police academy colleagues he was able to snag a few numbers easy at a couple bars. He knew what to say to women to make them weak at the knees. He knew what to say to get them to fall head over heels in love with him. And yet this girl, was probably one the 1% of the female population that his best friend Ark warned him about. The 1% defied majority of rules in a typical man's handbook based on one's type. A woman who can match wits, can challenge your beliefs, brings out every personality you didn't know you had, it had to be a woman who had individuality.

His 1% was probably this oddball.

She was easy on the eyes-that was a given. She was smart- it showed. She seemed deadly – what she carried confirmed her skill set. But her personality- unpredictably gorgeous.

"Lighten up, cop." Claire grinned and suddenly she snapped her fingers as an idea popped into her head. She rolled the computer chair to the neighboring desk of her brothers and checked the file cabinets throwing out the papers and whatever junk was in there.

"What are you doing?" He pondered at her random raiding

"Chris' partner said she always had a little friend that helped her get through the work day…And I don't know about you, but today is pretty stressful. All things considered. " Claire continued to rummage until her expression changed to an excited one once her hands caught a familiar shape.

Out appeared a bottle Tequila

Leon's eyes widened. "A-Are you crazy? Here?! Now?!" He tried to snatch it away from her but failed.

"Leon…Today is the day we die." She stated seriously as she kicked her feet up on the desk. "Stop being a cop and be normal. It's okay to feel something…" He winced at the statement as Claire daringly untwisted the cap while looking at him in the eye. "Im not a dead drunk if that's what you're thinking. I just…" She trailed off for a minute lost in her thoughts. "I just want to spend my last night on earth, reflecting."

And just like that, he understood.

Leon was an only child and the closest thing he's had to family was his dad who was a womanizer and a best friend who left the hometown first to become a private investigator. He hadn't done much with his life other than focusing on being the best in the academy and gaining a badge; and hopefully turn the career into something more. Sure there were girls in his life, none worth bring home to or even settling down. But hell- at least he was great at picking them up. Having Claire being realistic with him is probably what he needed. If he had any regrets, now would be the time to lay it out all there in the open since today was most likely the first and last day of him being a cop. And most likely, she was the only living person who would witness it.

After taking a large swig and shaking off the burning sensation in her mouth she handed the bottle to Leon- who gladly took a swig.

"What were you doing before today?" He asked while taking a seat on the floor with the bottle in hand. His knee naturally propped up and he stretched the other leg out feeling the hamstrings loosen. Claire decided to sit across from him against the opposite desk and formed the same position.

"Well to be completely honest…I broke my man's arm- excuse me, my ex – or whatever you call someone you're just seeing but not exclusive." She scoffed and signaled Leon to give her the bottle. "I caught him cheating on me with one of the sorority girls that neighbor his frat house."

"Ridiculous…." He shook his head in disappointment. First off, what kind of idiot did not exclusively want her? Second, what kind of idiot would throw away a good chance like her? Leon looked at her up and down and outlined her body; trying to picture Claire in her music festival outfit. He began to imagine her without the plaid around her waist, complemented with such a witty personality; Leon knew what she was made of. And for goodness sake, she was definitely something special.

The fantasy he was starting up suddenly became real once Claire pulled out her hair tie letting the red locks fall to her shoulders and removed her jacket exposing her neckline and shoulders. He shut his eyes; maintaining the gentlemen's act. "My first and only girlfriend was in love with my best friend." He shrugged his shoulders feeling the empathy.

"That's rough, buddy."

He broke a smile at her aloofness. It was such a manly response coming from such petite woman. Just by the way she was and how her quirkiness was just as attractive as her looks, he knew this Chris guy raised her the best way he could- as one of the bros.

"Yeah well, we dodged a bullet." He remembered his buddy getting pissed at his ex thinking she could start something with him after Leon. In the end, he told her to scram the minute he heard why she broke up with him. It was the first and only time Leon was religious about thanking every celestial being for granting him such a good friend; a big brother. "Ark Thompson is my hero; he's the Bucky to my Steve."

Claire furrowed her brows and grinned. "The White Wolf has to be pretty special."

And he embarrassingly shook his head. Of course this oddball would be a comic geek just like him. _Geez, she really is the 1%._

"Cheers, to Ark Thompson. If it wasn't for him, I'd probably be alone in the shithole town." And she took a smaller gulp before handing it to Leon.

He appreciatively watched her wipe the alcoholic residue from her bottom lip before taking another swig. And he noticed the initial spark in her eyes fading. Her shoulders slouched as she inspected her revolver, counting the bullets she had left. Claire took them out, one by one and lined them up next to before cleaning it with her shirt. The alcohol couldn't have gone through her head that fast- but then again having 3 swigs of Tequila on an empty stomach defied that theory. There was something on her mind that she was not admitting to him; something bothered her. And he felt it wasn't about her brother, or the deadbeat ex-boyfriend.

"What's on your mind, red?" Leon playfully nudged her with his foot to get her attention, accidentally creating all the upright bullets to domino down. Yet Claire didn't flinch, she just watched them fall as if it were mirroring what she was feeling.

"There's a lot of things I'm starting to regret now." She quietly shook her head. Leon watched her eyes scan the floor, slowly collecting the scattered bullets. Each one she observed carefully, nicking at the pieces of dirt before placing it back in her gun and pockets.

"Like what?" His solemn tone matched hers as he also thought about the things he regrets.

"Ive never done a 15k run. Never bothered to learn another language. I never bothered to learn how to play the piano. I've always wanted to volunteer at an Animal Shelter. I should've gotten my motorcycle license, but I got lazy…"

"Didn't you ride up to Raccoon with a Harley?"

"Illegally."

"Sounds about right." Leon snorted. She scoffed and continued on.

"I never told this friend that I was actually in love with him…" A sigh escaped as she decided to lay down on the ground of the STARS floor, letting dismay drown her. Among the scattered bullets and guns, she took another hit of the Tequila. The exhaustion suddenly hit both of them as Leon realized they were halfway finished with the bottle. The lovely red head looked so peaceful and serene amongst the angst they both shared despite being surrounded by the undead. Regret was contagious tonight, so once Claire started the conversation, he felt the cut through his heart too.

He'd never thought he would wind up in a place like this, sharing the sorrows and stress of just surviving in this place. Compared to Claire, he hadn't even thought about touching anything on his bucket list as he was focusing on his career. He already had met the people who were supposed to train him on his first day on being a cop, yet they were also the same people he double tapped with his gun- making sure they stayed dead. He even saw where his desk was placed and his well made name plate. When he first came and interviewed the team already suggested at looking for apartments in the city, indicating that Leon was their first pick out of the academy. And that's what he did; he found a reasonable studio at decent rent price, next to bars and restaurants, next to the college and of course near the station. He already pictured having house parties at his place, the girls going nuts for the skyscraper view and he couldn't wait to make a ton of new friends. Raccoon City was supposed to be a place to start a career and possibly a family, it was a place where he'd establish his roots.

But from the looks of it, its just another sad nightmare of chapter to his story.

"My god…I'm going to die a virgin."

Leon jumped, almost forgetting that he was supposed to be comforting his friend.

"Y-You're a virgin?" The astonishment in his blinking caused Claire to look back with narrow eyes. "Er-You're a virgin! G-Good for you!" He held a thumbs-up trying to hold back the chortle.

"I-Its not like I never had the opportunity!" Seething, she lightly kicked him and laid back down continuing her venting. "I just… wanted to wait for the right guy and the right time to come along." She shot him another look in suspicion. "Are you- I mean have you had –"

"I've slept with six women." His voice rose in defense after her predicting her question.

Claire's inexperienced eyes widened and nodded her head in approval. "Dang, alright then. You're set."

He rolled his eyes and chuckled. She was genuine, funny, and adorable.

Claire was still this innocent soul despite what's been happening. It was rare to see a college kid of her age, with her looks and her body to still have a V-card. He was a kid himself; just a 21 year old newbie still figuring out how to do laundry and how to make the perfect fried eggs. Being a single dude in a new city sounded fun, but after today, there was nothing remotely fun or interesting about him. He had no hobbies, no special talents, nothing worth winning a medal, just a guy who worked really hard to get where he's at.

"You really know how to bring a guy down. Well, might as well sink with you." Shoving away all her belongings, Leon made a comfy space next to Claire; joining regret island on the cold hard floor. He's always wanted to go back to college; but didn't want to go through the hassle of applying for loans. He wanted to visit the Pacific Ocean since he heard the west coast was such a breathtaking view, filled with relaxation and great weather. He's always wanted to throw a paper airplane off the Eiffel tower and see where it would land, now he wont get to do that. Last he remembered, his bucket list was short and sweet and it sucked knowing it was going to die with him-with nothing crossed off.

They both looked at the ceiling of the STARS department in silence reflecting on their lives, forgetting the bottle of Tequila, forgetting where they were at. Claire glanced at Leon who had a dead stare at the flickering office lights; noticing he was also deep in thoughts.

_What a pretty boy_, she thought. Personality is Grade A compared to the other pretty men she's met. Claire found him odd, comparing him to the other good man in her life. Her wonderful big brother probably was in Europe forgetting his troubles. At least he was happy and safe there. A small part of her couldn't help but pray that Chris was thinking about her at this moment; thinking that he probably should check on her whereabouts. Thinking that he needs to Superman up in here and save her; she was just a kid looking for her big brother after all. And Chris was great at getting his sister out of trouble; big and small. However, she wasn't alone- some cop was with her; hoping to save the day.

Dirty blonde hair almost brown, fairly built stature and a killer smile…Leon Kennedy was definitely a good looking man. His features were GQ mag notable but Claire found him charmingly boyish and original. It seemed that he was stuck in the phase between of being a kid and an adult at the same time. The first man she's met since her break-up was this guy in jeans, a bomber jacket and a gun; immediately she gravitated to his side. Claire knew her ideal type would have a framework similar to Chris or Barry-the men who raised her, but seeing another stoic man in action, she needed to reevaluate her taste in men. Men like him looked for trouble and crime, they enjoyed the thrill of catching the bad guy and saving the world. Chris and Leon most likely had similar in beliefs, but they definitely would spend most of their time trying to one-up each other. They could either be the best of friends, or the worst enemies. The passing thought of her bringing Leon to meet Chris amused her. It was also ridiculous to come find that there was no one worthy to meet her brother. Leon held class to a certain extent, but the minute he opens his mouth she found a couple of attributes in him attractive as well. An attribute that her friend Jill once told her she fell for when she first met Chris.

Humor; it was a dangerous quality for any man to have.

_One minute you're laughing, and laughing...and laughing some more. Then boom, you're naked._

Claire shook the thought, suppressing the coy smile her idol had said. It was a girl-talk moment when she told Jill that she got into college. And so she offered advice; never leave your drink unattended, don't kick every smarty-pants' ass, and good looking men who can make you laugh are unintentionally manipulative . But nonetheless Claire silently vowed nothing will happen between her and the rookie. Even if they were to blossom into something more in this hellhole he didn't deserve the baggage she carried. He was just a friend; a good ole fashion partner.

"Any regrets you'd like to share?" She asked, as it was her turn to listen. They were passed formalities now.

He sighed. "I should've killed that goddamn licker in the hallway. It was just so ugly and wrong with its tongue hanging out."Claire grinned and scoffed at the seriousness in his joke. He glanced back at her also smiling at the silly method to break the tension. They both laughed quietly, struggling not to make a noise. Jill was right. Leon S Kennedy was indeed a dangerous man.

"Ah! There it is…."

"There what is?" Claire's heart rate skyrocketed as she frantically turned thinking a monster was crawling on the wall.

"That smile I've been looking for."Her eyes widened and she became flustered. "Jesus, you got a sweet smile – its different." How can this guy flirt at a time like this? And her eyes flattened realizing the tequila bottle was already less than half. Yet another regretful decision to add on the list made by yours truly. His face didn't seem to be phased by the alcohol- probably just enough for him to loosen up. Even then, she appreciated a few good lines from a good looking guy.

Underneath that uniform he was a down to earth man who just wanted to save one person at a time. Whether it was just gunning down the undead, or even just talking – he was slowly restoring her hope of making it out of the city alive. And though his youth was unscathed by the horrors of adulthood and corruption, Claire had a feeling this man would still be the same dork 50 years from now. Just a few moments ago, during a mental breakdown Leon showed up and naturally washed all of the anxiety away. Her pessimism didn't even seem to affect him; he just listened to her worries and rolled with it. And just like Leon appreciating his best friend, Claire was also thanking the big man upstairs that he had placed this goofy cop next to her right at this moment. God knew what he was doing when he answered her prayers. Even though it was hard to see it, Claire could feel it right in her bones- Leon has a beautiful soul.

All the more reason she wanted to protect it.

"You know Kennedy, that girl missed out on a good thing with you- seriously." Leon perked up and saw Claire make a sad smile. "When I first saw you, I saw salvation." He watched her sit up and smooth out her hair, clearing all the tangles before tying it back up in a hair-band. She stretched both her arms hearing the elbow, wrist, and phalanges cracks before letting out a satisfying sigh. It unknowingly made him stare, drawn to her resilience. She continued on.

"There's just something about you that makes me want to keep going. And I don't feel that too often with anyone really - But with you, I feel wholesome." He held his breath at the statement, feeling the irregularity in his chest. Claire leaned down to his eye level and he blanked out at the proximity of her closeness. "If I was your girl, I'd take on the world for you."

Speechless.

No snarky comments exhaled from Leon, he was baffled. The authenticity in her voice had stopped his pulse, and her laugh alleviated up the tenseness he had built through the night. She was just so pure and lovely with her honesty; he couldn't help but break and give a part of his heart to her. Words couldn't describe the feeling, it wasn't love or longing – he didn't really know what it really was. But it was a type of intimacy that he's never experienced with another woman. And he was grateful it was her. If today was his expiration date, it would be nice knowing that Claire Redfield had a piece of him that was living. She herself was also his salvation, but more so a bigger motivation.

Just like that, he felt the need to save her.

"Hey…" Leon grabbed her arm, suddenly pulling her towards him.

And he kissed her.

Claire paused with wide eyes and soon closed them to reciprocate the comfort. He experimented the fine line between them, trailing his hand up to her jaw line – feeling her velvet face while the other found her hand. In turn she gripped his uniform at the neckline making him linger on just a little longer out of greediness. It was a strange exciting emotion they both felt was needed but didn't want to discuss. The sensation of desire resonated for a few seconds before they both broke away

"Do me a favor." He quietly asked leaning his forehead on her trying to tune in to her peacefulness.

"Yeah."

"From now on, remind me what my reason to live is."

"…How?"

"Just…you. Just stay you Redfield."

She looked at him in the eyes comprehending what he was trying to say. Those hazel windows to his soul could not have spoken louder. No words needed to be exchanged between the two, she just felt the internal aches mend together, the chemistry that was concocting, and the bond between them was forming and strengthening.

As her response, she just nodded.

If anything happened to her, he would lose his mind. The idea of Claire getting hurt in a place like this, killed him. "I need to keep you safe." He stated aloud after noticing bruises, cuts and dried blood stains on her clothes.

"No, we keep each other safe. We're partners, got it?" Her tone spiked and he just compromised. The equality, the sass, the bossiness- he should've known Claire was as bull-headed as she was sweet. "I'm not leaving this place without you."

Again, he felt an irregularity in his chest. Leon breathed in relief, regaining the energy he had lost in the beginning of the night. There was no time to complain or worry anymore. He had to get himself out to live and fight another day. A way had to be paved clear for this girl so she could get out of the city safely. If this was his chance to redeem himself and be the hero Claire needed, he was doing it. He stood up off the ground and took one good look the redhead in his vulnerable state, taking a mental picture of her benevolence. Her blue eyes softened, the warmth in her cheekbones heated him up, and that sly smile that made him crazy pulled out the better version of Leon Scott Kennedy. The energy radiated; Claire was a piece of an ideal life he's always wanted. He could sleep well at night knowing she was someone that can bring hope and the good in people.

_For her and her only,_ He thought.

Leon offered a hand to help get on her feet and she gladly took it. He reloaded his gun, inspecting all his pockets that he had enough ammo and a knife to carry on him. She did the same, and exchanged a few cartridges and resources with him; already knowing what the other needs.

"'ll leave first, so I can have those things follow my trail back downstairs to the basement. I may have found a way out of here. I found old blueprints of the place, so there's –"

"-An exit in the lobby, underneath the statue? Yeah, I figured. Chris always said this station was filled with random shit." Claire took out one of the missing medallions out of her pack and flashed it, surprising Leon. "I saw that there was already one piece placed there, and I found the other. There's a third one in a cell upstairs, so I found some C4."Again she whipped out a detonator with the battery in place.

"Christ. You're ahead of me." He shook his head underestimating her impact on the situation and looked at the amount of C4 she had. "You sure you wanna cause a scene?"

"You sure you wanna get outta here?" Again, with the sass.

"Fair enough. Sounds like a plan."

Claire winked and grabbed her red jacket putting it on. He caught a glimpse of her back at the camouflaged outline of an angel with the autographed text: _'Made in Heaven'_

The irony was uncanny.

"There was only one woman; one woman I've been with." He admitted out of nowhere, feeling the need to get that lie cleared up. She amusedly raised a brow. "My girlfriend broke up with me a couple of months before I decided to take the job here."

"Was she any good?" Claire's bluntness got the better of him.

"E-Er yeah, I-I mean she-"

"Doesn't seem like it. You look..." She scanned him. "...unsatisfied."

Leon rolled his eyes, frustrated with her. "You-You really are something, you know that?"But he just laughed it off considering he couldn't get enough of her quirkiness.

"Leon…" She called out for his attention and he glanced up, detecting a meaningful tone as they both were heading towards the door. He could tell she was struggling to say something, almost too embarrassed to say anything. Claire clutched his vest, shielding away the worry and the nervousness on her face. He placed his hand over hers to calm her down, trying to get a glimpse of her bashful expression. "Don't die. No matter what, I need you to stay alive, okay?"

The honesty and innocence shot at him again. The nerves stung in his chest, feeling as if a piece of her was settled inside his heart. It was an amorous sentiment he didn't know he needed, let alone deserved - especially from her. A new lifeline felt like it was given to him after he felt like quitting, and she was the entrance to using it; a do-over starting now.

A grateful smile appeared and he closed his eyes, taking a first inhale of new life with Claire in it. "...Remind me why I need to live again, Claire?"

"Because of me... Just me."

* * *

So, its been awhile. You guys asked for a sequel from me (a lifetime ago!) and instead I have delivered a prequel. Letting you all know that it's in the works and I was trying to get back in the groove of writing when this premature story blossomed (And I may have replayed the remake). Nonetheless, I will post the last one-shot story of the **PIECES TRILOGY **as a separate entity of its own so new readers are able to enjoy the different flows of each one-shot, without reading its sister stories.

By the way, thank you for your likes, subscribes, kind reviews and messages. I go back and reread them once in a blue moon and its a HUGE motivation that i need to continue writing and reading about our duo; All aboard Team Cleon.


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